Strike!

[neilo]

They are all close to home , right?

Just keep an eye on them as you would with your daily stock checking. You'll soon see the tell take signs of early onset of strike (swift nibbling and then the trademark saddle marks), you can then get them in and treat appropriately

I doubt very much you will see anything until around June

If the sheep get struck, then they're suffering already. Surely the best course of action is to prevent that suffering in the first place? I certainly feel I've failed if I get something with maggots, and I should have done them before. Obviously that doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but ideally it shouldn't.

@Pasty , as posted above, take a chill pill. Nothing to worry about yet.... Aim to get them shorn in late May/early June (if they've lambed in March), a few weeks earlier if dry sheep. Leave a few weeks (when they shouldn't be a problem), then treat with Clik, to hopefully protect for the rest of the season. You can apply it straight after shearing, but leaving it a month will extend the cover at the end of the season. The Clik will cost about £1 a sheep, job done.

If some orgasmic nutter tries to sell you some Tea Tree oil or Citronella stuff, tell them not to be such cruel barstewards and ask them how they'd like being eaten alive by maggots.

 

[Pasty]

I think @spin cycle means if you try to shear a Jacob too early in the season the wool won't lift

Does it have to? Can't you just cut it off?.

Idiot sheep keeper 101. Thank you all very much for your input. This is a superb forum.

 

[JP1]

Does it have to? Can't you just cut it off?.

Idiot sheep keeper 101. Thank you all very much for your input. This is a superb forum.

I've always been of a mind that the fleece will warm and lift ready for shearing before the risk of strike is massive. I've really only kept shedders in any numbers so I'd defer to other's opinions

 

[neilo]

Does it have to? Can't you just cut it off?.

Idiot sheep keeper 101. Thank you all very much for your input. This is a superb forum.

You could just 'cut it off', but it will be hard work and they will look a mess. Once the grease has lifted, the job is a lot better.
It will 'lift' earlier if the sheep are fit (not rearing lambs) and if it's warm weather, later if it's cold, wet and miserable and the sheep are milking hard.

Are you shearing your own, or expecting a contractor to come in? If the latter, on a small number, you might not get much choice when he can come.

 

[milkloss]

@Pasty

A sheep will dive for it's rear end or it's shoulder blades when maggots first strike

When the maggots first burrow in to the flesh, there is black / brown waste fluid from the flesh that looks like a "saddle" across the shoulder blades. If you observe the fidgeting on the first day, this will probably be the only sign

That's when they've been struck which is a bit late both from a welfare and management point of view. I'd use crovect on them around late May-June time, it will treat fly as well as prevent. Don't forget to treat according to shearing, shearers won't appreciate being treated for fly as well!

You can be sure there'll be mention on here when fly starts to be a problem!

 

[Pasty]

You could just 'cut it off', but it will be hard work and they will look a mess. Once the grease has lifted, the job is a lot better.
It will 'lift' earlier if the sheep are fit (not rearing lambs) and if it's warm weather, later if it's cold, wet and miserable and the sheep are milking hard.

Are you shearing your own, or expecting a contractor to come in? If the latter, on a small number, you might not get much choice when he can come.

Don't know on shearers yet. Have a few contacts. On my scale, might be worth learning how to do it myself.

 

[neilo]

Don't know on shearers yet. Have a few contacts. On my scale, might be worth learning how to do it myself.

If you get a machine, even a 12v one, and learn to do it yourself, you will at least have the choice of when to do it. Always plenty of little flocks about that struggle to get a 'proper' shearer in, and who are used to paying well for the service, if you have the time or inclination to do it.

 

[Man_in_black]

How many do you have @Pasty ? I did my own last summer.....I'm getting easycares & (hopefully) exlana after weaning!!

 

[Lovegoodstock]

We had that cold snap in may last year, really cant remember it getting typically maggoty weather soon after, but we tend to shear early, has been known late april when exceptionally warm, but we had 3/4 with strike early last may, that hadn't turned to maggots but would have done in few hours had they not been clipped that day. All spotless, as these would have been lambed a month prior and anything with a touch of muck is dagged before going out with lamb, sister down the road had the same.

 

[Pasty]

How many do you have @Pasty ? I did my own last summer.....I'm getting easycares & (hopefully) exlana after weaning!!

Only 10 that'll need shearing, rest are Wilts and shedding already.

 

[Man_in_black]

Only 10 that'll need shearing, rest are Wilts and shedding already.

Oh you'll do that in a day then. Once you get over 90 I'd consider getting someone in (unless you turn out to be one of them weirdos who enjoys shearing!)

 

[Pasty]

Oh you'll do that in a day then. Once you get over 90 I'd consider getting someone in (unless you turn out to be one of them weirdos who enjoys shearing!)

We've only got 30 acres of grass so 100 or so is probably limit and we want geese as well, maybe a few cows once we get a shed although we are in TB spot so might just wait on that for a year or 6. We've gone for shedders and wollies to start with so we can see which we like and why.

 

[Henarar]

Offer them more feed then they will keep working and not go on strike,
just don't tell them its not such good quality

 

[neilo]

We've gone for shedders and wollies to start with so we can see which we like and why.

If you get a shearing machine and do your own horned sheep, it'll help make your mind up about whether to have shedders or not.

 

[Henarar]

Only 10 that'll need shearing, rest are Wilts and shedding already.

If you get stuck @Pasty I dare say Clare's son @farmersam2 will do them for you

 

[Jerry]

If not shearing yourself but need to trim anything that is struck get a set of these:

https://handshears.co.uk/

By far and a way the best hand shears you will ever own and great for trimming struck sheep in the field.

Your in a similar area to me and strike can rear its head early here, seen it in April even. But often a warm humid autumn can be worst here so dont ignore it after shearing till next spring.

 

[Man_in_black]

+1 jakoti wickedly sharp

 

[Henarar]

+1 jakoti wickedly sharp

+2

 

[Old Boar]

Being a novice with sheep too, please keep asking these types of questions @Pasty , so I can learn (and I am sure, a few others!).
I did not understand about the wool "rising" but once you have seen it, you know what it means. If you look round the neck when the rise has happened, it is sort of like a topee sitting on top of fuzz!
I have decided the only way I can handle the ones l look after is to be friends with them. So far, all but two will come to me!

 

[Man_in_black]

+2

Yep